Thermally assisted magnetic head, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive

Abstract

A thermally assisted magnetic head comprises a slider having a medium-opposing surface and a light source unit secured to a surface of the slider on the side of the slider opposite from the medium-opposing surface. The slider has a slider substrate and a magnetic head part provided on a side face of the medium-opposing surface in the slider substrate. The magnetic head part includes a magnetic recording device for generating a magnetic field and a waveguide for receiving light from an end face opposite from the medium-opposing surface and guiding the light to the medium-opposing surface side. The light source unit has a light source supporting substrate, a light source secured to the light source supporting substrate and adapted to supply light to the end face of the waveguide, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the light source.

1. A thermally assisted magnetic head comprising a magnetic recording device for generating a magnetic field, a light source for supplying light, and a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the light source. 
     
     
       2. A thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slider substrate; and 
 a light source supporting substrate secured to a surface of the slider substrate on the side opposite from a medium-opposing surface; 
 wherein a side face of the medium-opposing surface in the slider substrate is provided with the magnetic recording device and a waveguide for receiving the light from the side opposite from the medium-opposing surface and guiding the light to the medium-opposing surface side; 
 wherein the light source is secured to the light source supporting substrate and supplies the light to the waveguide; and 
 wherein the temperature sensor is secured to the light source supporting substrate. 
 
     
     
       3. A thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature sensor is provided between the light source supporting substrate and the light source. 
     
     
       4. A thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 3 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in an insulating layer provided between the light source supporting substrate and the light source. 
     
     
       5. A thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is a resistance thermometer. 
     
     
       6. A head gimbal assembly comprising:
 the thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a suspension for supporting the thermally assisted magnetic head. 
 
     
     
       7. A hard disk drive comprising:
 the head gimbal assembly according to  claim 6 ; and 
 a light source controller for controlling a light output of the light source according to information from the temperature sensor. 
 
     
     
       8. A light source unit for a thermally assisted magnetic head, the light source unit comprising:
 a light source supporting substrate; 
 a light source secured to the light source supporting substrate; and 
 a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the light source. 
 
     
     
       9. A light source unit for a thermally assisted magnetic head according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the light source is secured to the light source supporting substrate through an insulating layer; and 
 wherein the temperature sensor is provided within the insulating layer.